Meditation is the soul's perspective glass. - Owen Feltham

2015 intentions for JoJo. I am moving forward from an existing 2014 resolution I set in my Yoga Nidra practice, “I am empowered to love and to give love”. Today, I set my resolutions a little higher and I believe the pose “Upward Facing Two-Foot Staff Pose” represents myself thoroughly. This pose is a deep heart opener that has allowed myself to peel away from addictive patterns, unhappiness, and stress. This pose resembles the courage I needed in the past and it resembles what I honor in myself today. I do not know what is in store for me tomorrow but I trust in myself to be the guide to live this very short life. I will continue to ground myself but also to keep an open heart. I will dig deep in\to many relationships, laughs, love, bottles of wine, self-care, and giving back to the world around me.

﻿If you want to get serious and challenge yourself with New Year Resolutions than Yoga can be the tool you are seeking. I see a trend of New Year Resolutions and the overall story is that people want to give up some sort of negative repetitious cycle. People want to change a particular way to be a better, happier, and healthier person. Who wouldn’t want that? I have seen repetitious patterns/addictions come in so many shapes and forms. Most of us like what is familiar and it is easy to let the brain and the body hold onto these patterns. Certain types of chemicals that are correlated to these behaviors of repetition/addiction will start to store within the body. Just as the body stores tension and stress in particular parts of our bodies. Overtime, addictions create more stress, unhappiness, and possible health issues. There is a wide spectrum of addictions and they can show up as unhealthy eating, nail biting, smoking cigarettes, over sleeping, unhealthy relationships, or stressful career choices. Whether something is good or bad for you everything should come in moderation. The movements we find in yoga allow the chemicals and hormones of the body to find circulation. With a routine yoga schedule the body can stay fluid and resilient. The body can then release unwanted chemical build-up that is associated with types of addictions, repetitive behaviors, negative choices, etc. Overtime healthy body chemicals (endorphins, GABA: gamma-amino butyric acid, etc.) will be stimulated and will replace trapped chemicals, reduce stress, and break addictions. I am not an expert on addictions or the types of chemical imbalances your body may form but I do practice yoga. I still battle repetitious cycles such as negative thinking, lack of motivation, and so on. Yoga is my tool to take time out for myself and allow the breath and my mind to sync up with my body. I listen to what the mind is telling me but then only absorb what I need in that particular moment and then let everything else go without holding any judgment. These moments inspire me to meet my intentions or New Year Resolutions.